


15. Presents

by greywolfheir



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Budapest, Christmas Presents, Multi, references are understood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 17:37:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1096661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greywolfheir/pseuds/greywolfheir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers exchange gifts in their unique ways</p>
            </blockquote>





	15. Presents

The Avengers may have been good as a team, but that didn’t mean they were all very close. So, no, there wasn’t a big Christmas exchange party. Some tight-knit groups _were_ close enough to exchange gifts, throughout Christmas week.

 

* * *

 

On Sunday, Steve walked into his quarters, not noticing anything was wrong for a while. He had taken a shower, pulled on an undershirt and sleep pants, and brushed his teeth. He was just about to turn out the light and climb into bed when he noticed it on his desk.

Steve walked over and picked it up. It was a book— _Wizard of Oz_. Steve flipped through it and found writing on the first few pages. The first thing Steve noticed was the circled print date, 1918. His birth year. Next to it, was an arrow to a short paragraph.

_Capsicle,_

_I hope you understood that reference. It took a lot to get this damn thing. Merry Christmas._

_Love,_

_Tony Stark_

The signature was very flourished, but Steve knew who it was from the first word. He read the short message about ten times. If his face got redder every time, well, there wasn’t anyone there, was there? Then Steve slammed the book shut, went to bed, and tried to ignore the strange present from Tony.

 

* * *

 

Monday found Clint in front of Natasha’s door, holding a box wrapped in gold paper behind his back.

“Clint?” Natasha asked, letting him in. “What are you doing here?”

“I just came to drop something by,” Clint said, handing her the box.

“Oh,” Natasha said. “Thanks. I didn’t really get you—“

“Just open it,” Clint said gently.

After a confused glance at Clint, Natasha unwrapped the box. There was a wooden box inside, which, after an encouraging nod from Clint, she opened. She gasped when she saw the contents. She bit her lip and picked it up. It was a throwing knife, and on the hilt was a small spider symbol. A black widow spider specifically.

“Is this from—?”

“Budapest,” Clint said with a nod.

“But how did you manage to find it?” Natasha asked.

Clint shrugged. “I’ve had it for a while. Thought I should give it back.”

Natasha carefully put it back into its case and closed the lid. She looked into Clint’s eyes for a second, then lifted her hand to cup his jaw and gently pressed her lips to his.

“Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Tuesday, Tony and Bruce were working in the lab that day. They had different tasks, but they still bantered across their work tables.

“You’re telling me you don’t remember how to convert seconds into nanoseconds?” Bruce asked.

“Look, if I wanted an opinion on my intelligence, I’d go to Rogers. Now can you just tell me how many nanoseconds are in seventeen seconds?”

Bruce tried to hide a smile and failed. “170 billion.”

“Thanks,” Tony snapped, but before he went to work, he glanced at his desk and saw the coffee mug with a bow on top and stared at it for a second. At the end of that second he huffed, grabbed it and tossed it over to Bruce.

Bruce somehow managed to catch it, and glanced at it. It read, “May the d(mv)/d be with you.”

“Uh, any reason you tried to kill me with this?” Bruce asked.

“Merry Christmas,” Tony said, not looking up from his work.

Bruce stared at his lab partner for a while, thinking this was a joke. Tony never turned back from his work though, so Bruce just shrugged. He felt a little bad for not getting Tony anything. Maybe he’d find something…

 

* * *

 

Wednesday’s gift exchange was very brief. It involved Agent Phil Coulson, receiving a small stack of bloodstained cards with a sticky note attached that read:

_Sorry_

_\--F_

Coulson frowned a little at the cards, but after a while he shrugged. At least he had them back.

 

* * *

 

Steve, always the traditionalist, gave his present on Thursday—Christmas day. Then again, his present wasn’t exactly a traditional gift, so there was that. Instead, Tony discovered a letter on his work desk.

_Stark,_

_Thanks for the present. Stop by my quarters at noon for yours?_

_~~Sincerely~~  Love,_

_Steve_

Tony swallowed hard and looked at the clock on his wall. It was nearly twelve. Setting the slip of paper down with slightly shaking hands, he took a deep breath. This was what he wanted, right? Get Cap’s attention? No need to get himself worked into having a panic attack—that would be _really_ bad. Tony walked out of his room to Steve’s.

Steve answered the door immediately after the first knock.

“Hey,” he said with a smile that made Tony’s heart do stupid flips.

Tony hid it though, just raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m here for the present.”

Steve looked like he’d just remembered that part. “Oh! Yeah, just a second. Stay right there.”

Tony was about to say something sarcastic but Steve was back before he could.

“I didn’t really have anything to wrap it with, but you didn’t wrap yours either though, so…here you go,” Steve said, holding out a silver chain. Tony realized Steve’s hands were shaking a bit, but he didn’t mention it, especially since there was a more important item _in_ his hands.

“Your…your dog tags?” Tony asked. “Isn’t that a bit much?”

“Says the guy who managed to find an almost hundred year old book,” Steve pointed out.

Realizing Tony wasn’t about to take the tags, he grabbed the chain and looped it over Tony’s head. Tony wanted to protest, but the proximity was making him dizzy. When the chain was completely around the scientist’s neck, however, he didn’t let go. Their faces were inches apart and Tony could feel Steve’s breath brushing his cheek. In that moment of hesitation, months of angry banter turned friendly banter turned witty exchanges to flirting flashed through Tony’s memory. The way he’d become less annoying and more…endearing. The way Tony noticed just how _fit_ the Captain was even if that _was_ supposed to be his whole shtick. Tony shook his head and was about to brush it aside when…

“Tony,” (the way _that_ sounded, Tony noted), “you might want to look up.”

Thanks to being completely out of it, Tony actually did as Steve said…and found mistletoe on the doorframe. Tony snapped his head back down to look at Steve.

“Is that—“ Tony began, only find his lips immovable due to the tiny fact that Steve’s lips were pressed against his.

Tony smiled into the kiss. Capsicle wasn’t going to be the only one who could be forward. Tony grabbed Steve’s hair roughly in one hand, pulled his waist in closer, and returned the kiss with as much vigor as he could muster. The sound that came from Steve at that was _so_ worth it.

 

* * *

 

On Friday—Frigga’s day, as Thor knew it—the Norse god found himself in his own quarters sliding the charm of a necklace between his fingers. His face was downcast as he did so. Suddenly, though, he spoke.

“Brother,” Thor began. “I know you cannot hear me, and perhaps you may not want to even if you could.” Thor chuckled quietly. “You always did say I should never make speeches. But yesterday these Midgardians taught me of their holiday much like Yule called Christmas, where they exchange gifts. I know you wouldn’t like celebrations in honor of our father anymore, so I believe this Christmas would be much to your liking. I have a gift to give you. It is a necklace—a remembrance of our mother on Frigga’s day, no less. Only, I know not where to find you. I suppose the sentiment will have to be enough.”

Thor finished his speech and set the necklace on the bedside table and went to bed.

Just before shutting his eyes, Thor whispered, “Come home to me, brother.”


End file.
